


One Step at a Time

by pancreasnostalgia



Category: Dear America
Genre: 1950s, Diary/Journal, Gen, Physical Disability
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25559572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pancreasnostalgia/pseuds/pancreasnostalgia
Summary: In the summer of 1952, Rebecca Cantor thought her biggest worry was her older brother Jacob fighting in Korea. However, the threat of polio looms large over American society and Rebecca finds herself a victim of the debilitating disease. Sixteen, an age usually meant for exploring freedom, is now about coming to terms with and finding fulfillment beyond physical limitations.
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> When Dear America re-branded there were many topics I hoped they would cover. Chief among them was polio, and I was disappointed (though not entirely surprised) that it did not come to pass. Dear Canada's polio story doesn't do it for me, so I set about creating my own. Since Dear America's only story set in the 1950's focuses on the Civil Rights movement, I thought it would be interesting to combine polio with other key aspects of that decade, including the Red Scare and Korean War.
> 
> Many of the locations in Portland, Oregon are real. Characters are fictional except for mentions of certain historical figures.

_My older brother Jacob gave me this diary so that I could record my life once I turned 16. I guess he figures this is a special year and he'll want to read about it when he comes home from Korea. Sure, I'll get my driver's license. But other than that and Lincoln High School moving locations, how much is going to happen to me worth writing about? I'm writing this entry on a separate sheet of paper that I'll post in after he reads the rest. Might as well get some of my biggest worries off my chest first._

_I miss Jacob terribly. He’s 19 now. We all thought he would go to college after he graduated from Lincoln, but he didn't bother with a draft deferment and the army called his number up. None of us understood his willingness to go. So many of my friends’ dads and older brothers were in World War Two. My uncles, too. The way they speak about it isn't exactly a glowing endorsement for war. I barely knew anything about Korea until two years ago, when people started worrying that the country would fall to Communism like China just had. Korea is split in two; the North (Communists) controlled by Kim Jung-Il and the South (a democracy) controlled by Syngman Rhee. I had to look those names up to spell them. Even though the fighting is about Korea and takes place over there, we're fighting against Chinese soldiers._

_Like a lot of boys, Jacob was always a little envious of the soldiers in the last war. They got a lot of attention. I guess that’s why when Korea came along, the boys who had now come of age were willing to go over. I really wish Jacob hadn’t. He doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. The fight felt more personal when it was against Nazi Germany. Our family is Jewish, after all. What do we have to gain over in Korea? He's been gone for a year now and it’s agonizing to only hear from him sporadically. The mail service from Korea to America isn’t always reliable and then there are the censors. We can only guess at how he’s really doing and don’t usually get updates on him until months after a battle._

_First the army sent Jacob to basic training in Washington. At least he was only a state away. Every now and then he could come home for a short leave. Training lasted four months, and he was there from February to May. Then the troops were shipped out to Korea and he’s been there since._

_It feels good to unburden myself this way. I know I can talk to Mom and Dad but I don't want to add on to their own troubles. Now I think I will work on my first "official" entry so I can tell Jacob all about my birthday._


	2. Chapter 2

Thursday, June 5, 1952

This is my first time trying to keep a diary. I don't consider myself one of those "Dear Diary" types, so I think just writing the date will suffice. Today is my sixteenth birthday. Jacob, my older brother, gave me this diary as a birthday gift. Mom and Dad had been saving it for a little while now, waiting to give it to me today. I've miss Jacob so much since he has been in Korea this past year. I know he misses me, too, which is why he wants me to write. 

Mom made French toast for breakfast. I don’t get it often, so it was a treat. Then I had to go off to school. I wish my birthday was a little later in June or school ended a little earlier, so that I could have a summer vacation birthday. In home economics we were baking today, so I was allowed to make myself a birthday treat. I enjoy baking and I think I am pretty good at it. I made a pan of brownies for the class. 

Some of us in the class have more of a knack for cooking and baking than others. It largely depends on if you can pay attention. Not too long ago we were baking cakes. Miss Roberts always warns us that when in use, we need to have one eye on the oven at all times. Betty Smith had her back to the oven and was talking with some of the other girls. All of a sudden the kitchen started smelling like smoke. I noticed that her oven window was cloudy and shouted for Miss Roberts. She rushed over and opened the door. Smoke poured out and made those of us near the oven cough. Margaret opened a window and one of the other girls did the same. Cindy has asthma so she got to coughing real bad. Lisa had to escort her to the nurse’s office. I fanned the smoke away from me as best I could and turned back to my oven, more intent than before to watch it carefully.

Anyway, today everyone managed to avoid a mishap.

Language Arts went by slowly. We have been reading _The Red Badge of Courage_. The book is pretty old and not too terribly exciting, but it’s a classic so we must read it.

My friends went together and got me a new bracelet. It’s silver with an etched floral design. The bracelet goes well with my outfit today. I'm wearing a dress with orange and blue flowers on a light gray background. In my hair I wore a matching headband. Mom had packed me a lunch of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, carrot sticks, and a chocolate cupcake. Normally I'm in charge of packing my own lunch if I don't want to eat the cafeteria food.

Mom let me invite the girls over after school. When we got to the house I saw that the living room had been decorated with balloons and streamers. The kitchen was set up with snacks and flowers. Even though it was my birthday we still had to do our homework. We probably would have finished it sooner if we hadn’t gossiped so much. We talked about the Rose Festival. which is happening this weekend. Margaret thinks that the pageant part of it is a waste and doesn’t care who is the queen, but her family is in charge of one of the parades floats each year, and so she always has to attend. They usually get good seats to see the coronation. Sometimes she invites me to come along so that she has someone to distract her. This year she also invited Lisa and Cindy. I think it will be fun, even though I don’t know this year’s queen or her court.

I showed Mom my new bracelet. She complimented the girls on their tastes in jewelry. After we finished our homework we went up to my room. I took my record player out of its case and we listened to my 45s.

The four of us are part of a book club that meets at the library every weekend. We read a lot of new releases this way. Right now, we are finishing up _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_ , by C.S. Lewis. This is the fifth book in his Chronicles of Narnia series. Of the four Pevensie children, I identify the most with Susan. Normally these kinds of books are not my favorite but I do enjoy the Narnia stories. 


	3. Chapter 3

Friday, June 6

Cindy has been worried lately. Since Monday, metal workers throughout the United States have been on strike. Her father works for a metal company here in Portland and while he has a better position than some, there’s no telling what is going to happen to the company. With metal being so important for building all sorts of things, I don’t see how long a strike could last. Her dad is nice, so I hope that Portland doesn’t get too involved in this national strike.

* * *

Saturday, June 7

Just got back from the Rose Parade. Mom and Dad let me skip Shul. I had a good time. This morning I walked over to Margaret’s house and met up with the rest of the girls. We took the bus to the waterfront. The weather cooperated and I only had to wear a light cardigan over my short sleeve dress. It always gets crowded early on, so we were there by 8 in the morning. I had breakfast before I left so I wasn’t too hungry until noon. I am not too bit a fan of crowds, but it helped that all of us were together. All the floats were decorated with bunches of flowers. We stood on the side for about an hour. Then we went inside the Rose Quarter and took our seats for the coronation. The winner this year was from Cleveland High. She wore a red ball gown and her court all wore white. Earlier today they had the coronation for the Princess, a girl from one of the elementary schools. That is something I do not understand. It’s one thing for someone my age to want to do the pageant, but a child? The only positive is that like the Rose Queen, the Princess is also expected to do good deeds like visiting the sick and all that.

Margaret rolled her eyes throughout the event. She thinks pageants are pointless. While I mostly agree, I reminded her of Bess Myerson. She was Miss New York City and had won Miss America in ‘45. Bess was the first Jewish Miss America and I remember it being a very big deal. I was about nine at the time. People had told her that she wouldn’t have a chance of winning unless she changed her name, but she refused. Her win was a big boost to our morale after learning the extent of what happened to the Jews in Europe during the war. Margaret sighed. “I guess Bess is the exception. But the only one I can think of. Do you see the Rose Queen ever being that important?” We nudged her. “Well,” she continued, “Bess had a lot riding up on her and it was luck that made her win. These girls don’t have the hopes of the whole Jewish population on their shoulders. They probably have never set foot inside a synagogue. This is just an excuse for important people to show their influence by having their daughters compete against each other.”

Shortly thereafter the matter was dropped and we all settled down to watch the ceremony. I did like the dresses. If nothing else the fashion associated with pageants is enjoyable.

After the coronation ended, we stayed around a little longer before parting ways. Margaret’s parents took a picture of all of us in front of the Rose Quarter. They promised us each a copy. Lisa and I took the bus and walked home part of the way, before splitting off at the neighborhood. “I enjoyed today, how about you?” Lisa asked. We both laughed. “ You can always count on Margaret to keep things interesting. Anyway, I had fun. Though I suppose I could do without the parade.” We said good night and turned toward our houses.

Mom had dinner waiting on the table. She dished out the meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Am I the only one who thinks that meat does not belong in loaf form?

I wonder what Betty is going to say at school. She’s always had a desire to be Rose Queen. The only thing holding her back has been her age. Next year she will be old enough to run. No doubt we will all hear about it for the entire next school year! I think again about Bess Myerson and how much her winning Miss America had meant to us all. I try to picture Betty visiting hospitals and it doesn't fit.

* * *

Monday, June 9, 

Tonight was the finale of the first season of _I Love Lucy_. It has quickly become my favorite television show. Lucille Ball is so funny! I always feel sorry for her character, Lucy Ricardo, who is always trying to get involved in her husband, Ricky’s, shows. Ricky is played by Lucille's real life husband, Desi Arnaz. Lucy always gets into some sort of scrape. On tonight’s episode, Ricky had been fired from his club, the Tropicana. Lucy got together with their friends and landlords, the Mertz’s (Fred and Ethel) to come up with a scheme to keep Ricky employed. Mom and I were on the couch, doubling over with laughter. Dad was calmer but he let out some laughs, too. I wonder what Jacob would think of _I Love Lucy_. 

* * *

Thursday, June 12th

Even though the war with Japan ended in '45, it took until earlier this year to get things settled. Now Japan is allowed to be a sovereign power again and the United States is helping them get back on their feet. This is so different from Germany, who is still not allowed to rule itself (not that I’m complaining). At the end of the war Germany got split between the United States and our allies, and the Soviet Union. Berlin itself split further. No one can trust Germany anymore. To be completely honest, I am surprised that we let Japan off so easily. After all, they were responsible for Pearl Harbor. The Soviet Union thinks that Japan is not ready to rule itself again even though they signed a treaty a few months ago.


	4. Chapter 4

Friday, June 13

Today was our last day of school and the last day we will spend in this building. Construction on the new Lincoln High School is almost complete and will be ready by Labor Day. It will be nice to have a brand new building with plenty of room and a more modern look. Lisa and I have walked down Salmon street often, checking out the exterior. The grounds are nice, too. As usual for the last day of school, we had a party in each class period. Teachers provided snacks. Some of our teachers let us sign each other’s year books, others made us wait until the bell rang. In geometry Lisa, Cindy, Margaret, and I flipped through and assessed everyone’s picture. Mine turned out decent enough, though I looked like I was about to break out into a laugh. While my picture was being taken, some of the boys waiting in line had been goofing off. Cindy had a zit on her face in her portrait and Lisa’s bangs were a little wild. Margaret seemed to not have focused her eyes on the camera. I guess everyone always finds fault with their school portraits. At least our outfits all looked good. Mom insisted that I wear my nicest wool cardigan with a collared blouse. I also had on my wool hounds tooth skirt and knee socks with oxfords. My curly hair was kept out of my face by a wide headband. I was lucky with my hair that day. Sometimes the curls get out of control. I get that from Mom. We all laughed at some of the other portraits, trying to not draw too much attention from from the teacher. He was sitting at his desk, grading our final exams from earlier this week. I hope I did okay. Math is not my best subject, and I found geometry especially difficult.

Across the classroom, Betty and her group were discussing the Rose Parade. It’s sort of a competition between high schools in the area, which school is going to represent each year’s Rose Queen. This year’s winner, Gloria, came from Cleveland High. Next year the girls in my age group are going to be eligible to run and everyone knows that Betty wants to represent Lincoln. The Queen spends the next year going to all sorts of charity events and visiting hospitals. Polio wards are especially popular. The local March of Dimes chapter will be all the Queen. To be honest, I couldn’t care less who becomes Rose Queen or her court. I just know that all throughout the next school year, the junior class will be all about it. It’s open to seniors too, so who knows who will win from Lincoln.

At lunch we were free to sign yearbooks as much as we wanted. The weather has started getting nice again, though we’ve still been having cool and rainy days. It will be into July before it really gets warm and sunny. Most of the time we can’t eat outside, but we all did today. I just kept thinking about summer vacation. Not like I have big plans, but Mom will keep me busy.

Speaking of Mom, she’s calling me to dinner now.

* * *

Saturday, June 14th

Slept in for my first full day of summer vacation. It was nice to not have to worry about getting up early, doing my hair (dad won’t let me wear makeup yet), eating breakfast, finishing any homework I didn’t get done the day before, and walking to school. I’m just not a morning person. When I finally went downstairs around 9 in the morning, Mom took a pan off the warmer. She had saved some breakfast for me. I thanked her and sat down to my eggs and turkey bacon (no pork for us, especially on Shabbos). She even let me have some coffee! It was a bit strong so I poured some milk in. After breakfast I got dressed for shul. One of the boys had his Bar Mitzvah so we listened to him read from the Torah. He struggled a little, but did well overall. Sometimes I am just glad that I don’t have to go through that. I struggle with Spanish, let alone Hebrew. This kid, Harry, was lucky that he got to read from the part about Noah's ark. It could have been much worse, like the census in Numbers. Margaret and I have talked about Bar Mitzvahs. She thinks girls should be able to do them, too. I see where she’s coming from. It doesn’t make sense why we can’t. But unlike Margaret, I don’t think I would be that dedicated. Boys have to study the Torah for years. I also don’t like the idea of having to stand up in front of the whole congregation to recite. Margaret’s brother Levi is currently studying and will be having his Bar Mitzvah soon. I don’t think it really turns boys into men. Levi can be a pest sometimes. He has been acting real important about the whole thing. I think that’s why Margaret feels more strongly that she should have the chance, too. One thing that Margaret and I really agree on is that women should be allowed to be Rabbis. Again, I don’t see why they can't. I remember when I was younger and women were even separated from men during the service! That at least changed after the war.

* * *

Sunday, June 15th

Today is Father’s Day. We were all a bit bummed not having Jacob there to celebrate, and I made quite an effort to compensate. It wasn’t the same as in years’ past, neither was Mother’s Day, but Dad appreciated the effort. Yesterday at shul, a lot of the Dads talked about their sons over in Korea. It’s something many families have in common, or at the least they know someone else’s son whose over there. There are even women in Korea acting as nurses and reporters. Lisa is fascinated by all that and wishes she were older so she could be a nurse, too. I think it would be interesting to be a nurse, but in a hospital here in the States, not in the jungle in hostile territory.

Mom started off today with a big pancake breakfast. After breakfast we gave gifts. Mom got Dad a new neck tie as usual (though he does use them) and I handed him a shirt I had made in home economics. My sewing skills are much better than they were at the beginning of the year, but I still had plenty of help with this project. Men’s clothes shouldn’t’ be very hard, women’s are much more complex, but I don’t quite have an eye for it. Dad thanked me for the shirt, said it had excellent craftsmanship, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Jacob had sent him a private letter in our last envelope from him, and Dad saved that for later. He had done the same for Mom on Mother’s Day. Part of me felt like I was in his shadow because such a hole was left by his absence. But deep down I know that I shouldn’t feel that way. I can’t blame Jacob for this attention, he isn’t the kind of guy who intentionally seeks it. I’m just a quiet person in more normal times. After the gifts we did our own thing for the afternoon. I started my summer reading. Mom made a roast for dinner with baked potatoes and green beans. We had apple pie for dessert. I am so full!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will dive a little more into polio.


	5. Chapter 5

Tuesday, June 17th

 _The Oregonian_ has been talking about a new book (or at least newly in the English language). It’s a diary by a girl named Anne Frank who lived in Europe during the war. Her family was Jewish and went into hiding when Amsterdam (where they had moved after leaving Germany) was invaded by the Nazis. I don’t know a lot of details now but I do know that Anne did not survive the end of the war. I bet the library will assign this for book club. I am really interested in reading it, though it will be emotionally challenging to say the least.

* * *

Saturday, June 21st

Lisa and I took her little sister, Susie to the Zoo today. There’s a baby elephant named Packy. Susie’s Brownie troop participated in a celebration when he was born. Packy is very cute and the weather was nice, so we spent quite a bit of time there. We even brought a picnic lunch to eat near the stage. Lisa is a good cook so we had quite a feast. The James’s aren’t Jewish, they go to the Methodist church in Goose Hollow, so they eat pork, but Lisa is good about not eating it around me. We had tuna salad sandwiches, apples, lemonade, and oatmeal raisin cookies (my contribution). There were plenty of other groups of people picnicking, too. Much fewer young men around, of course.

* * *

Sunday, June 22nd

One of the most notable things about turning 16 is that you are allowed to go to the movies during the summer! Sounds silly, but the rule is in place to try to prevent the spread of polio. Polio strikes in the summer so the way the city responds is by closing down various places where kids will gather. Pools are essentially off limits to everyone. Since most of the year is cold in Oregon, summer is often the only time when we can swim outdoors. At least we have plenty of lakes and the ocean. Movies theaters are another popular spot. Though for the movies the rules are relaxed for those sixteen and up. That means that now if There’s anything I want to see over the summer, I can!

Back in 1916 when the United States had its first major polio outbreak, almost the entire East Coast was closed for kids under 16! Everyone had to have a clean health certificate to travel out of state, or even to another town. Since then Polio has only become more of a problem. In the summer, it’s almost all that parents can think about. The March of Dimes is everywhere, including the movie theaters! Before every show they pass around a can for donations. I don’t mind contributing. They are good about providing equipment and treatment to those in need. They are also looking into prevention. A lot of the news has been on a researcher named Jonas Salk, who is working on a vaccine. He is being partially funded by the March of Dimes.

Even though I am old enough now, my parents were still hesitant about letting me go to the movies. “Mom. I’m sixteen. I know to be careful about not getting sick.” Mom got a wistful look, the kind that suggests she's thinking of me being grown up. “I promise,” she said, “that Dad and I will let you go to the movies this summer. Is there anything out now you are interested in?” That's the thing with movies; unlike a book you can’t just pick up whatever you wish to watch at any time. What's in theaters is what there is. There have been some good ones this year. _African Queen_ with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn and _American in Paris_ with Bogart and Vivian Leigh. Then there was _Singin’ in the Rain_ with Gene Kelly and Debby Reynolds. That was a really good one. It was about the movie industry in the 1920’s when the first talking picture, _The Jazz Singer_ was released. The characters are at a movie studio that wants to catch up with the trend and they all struggle with sounding good on film. Mom and Dad remember the silent movie days. I can’t picture a movie without sound. I was young when _The Wizard of Oz_ came out. That was the first movie to use Technicolor, and even that is still not done all the time. Maybe someday soon they will make even more movies with color, and even television shows! So, I told Mom that at the moment there wasn’t anything in particular that grabbed at me. I will have to wait a little while longer to see my first summer movie. Please let a movie come out before school starts again!


	6. Chapter 6

Friday, July 4

For the Fourth of July Lisa’s family invited Cindy, Margaret, and me to go camping with them at Crater Lake. Though it is Oregon's most famous National Park, I have never actually been there.

When we first got to the campsite we unloaded the car and started setting up the tents. Lisa’s parents are in one tent, her siblings in another, and the four of us in the last. I have never set up a tent before and found it challenging. It took the four of us to get it all figured out, but we did it! Then we put our sleeping bags in. Lisa’s mother set up the cooking site and started working on dinner, while the rest of us explored.

There are a lot of green areas around Portland, but it isn’t like Crater Lake, where the forests are uninterrupted for miles. Luckily there are signs all over to keep people on the trails so they don’t get lost. We had our cameras along and took pictures of all the wildlife. There are a wide variety of flowers and animals you never see in the city. Different plants were identifiable with small plaques so I wrote their names down in a notepad so that later when my pictures develop, I will be able to properly label them. Around 6:00 we headed back to the campsite for dinner. People always say that food tastes better outdoors and I agree. With the clean air and walking around, we were all hungry and ate plenty. When we finished eating the four of us volunteered to wash the dishes. The sun was still out and so it was still warm and the dish water felt good on our arms.

In the evening we went to a central area of the park. They don’t allow fireworks here, as they would make the forest catch fire. That is fine with me as I do not care for the loud noise that you hear in the city. The Park Service still had a celebration, though. There were marshmallows to roast so I made a couple of s’mores. There was also some singing. People assume I enjoy singing as my last name is Cantor, but I really don't that much!

Lisa’s siblings were sent to bed after the party but the rest of us were allowed to stay up. Cindy also keeps a diary so she and I took them out to write by the campfire. Lisa brought out some knitting and Margaret her sketch pad and colored pencils. It is nice to be able to spend this time with other girls, and not just my parents.

“I always enjoy the fourth of July, but then summer seems slow until Labor Day,” remarked Margaret, out of the blue. Cindy replied “well, there’s book club, Junior Red Cross, March of Dimes. Between all these there is enough to do. We should get more involved over the summer.” We were starting to yawn. I asked Margaret to see what she was drawing and she showed it to us. She had been sketching a group of trees on the edge of our campsite. Of all of us, she is the best at drawing. “Last time I tried to draw a tree, it ended up looking like broccoli,” said Cindy. Lisa and I muttered agreement with Cindy. None of us did particularly well in art class. “I like the colors you're using in that scarf,” I told Lisa. Lisa is one of the best seamstresses in home economics. Sewing, knitting, and crocheting. “Thanks!” she replied. “The pattern is fairly simple so I wanted to have a color that stood out nice. I won’t be needing it now but it will get cold in the fall.” Oregon's weather is reliable that way. Warm from July through September, cold and rainy the rest of the year.

* * *

Saturday, July 5, before breakfast

Half an hour after I stopped writing we turned in for the night. Inside the tent we each got into our sleeping bags. It didn't take long to fall asleep as we were worn out from the action of the day.

I can't wait for today’s activities! Mrs. James is cooking breakfast. The smell woke us up and got us scrambling to get ready. I have just finished getting dressed and fixing my hair. Looks like everyone is ready. I will write later.

* * *

Later,

We are back at the campsite. After breakfast we washed up the dishes, then each of us were allowed to do whatever we wanted. Margaret took her sketchbook along to find a good place to draw the scenery. Cindy and Lisa took to the trails. I went to the visitor’s center to explore a bit of the park’s history. Crater Lake was the sixth national Park to be established. It is a little unnerving that the lake was formed in the crater of an extinct volcano (hence its name), but I was assured that it would not become active and erupt while I was there. Still, my heart did race a little at the thought!

I had brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with me for lunch, which I ate at one of the picnic tables outside of the visitor’s center. Lisa’s little sister Susie found me at sat down, too. She and I talked about Packy the elephant and the other zoo animals. 

After lunch I managed to cross paths with Lisa and Cindy and joined them on another trail. We came upon the area Margaret was sitting at, and she joined us, saying that she could finish filling in the sketch later. We walked along the trail and reached a clearing where there were some boys. One was walking with a limp. On closer inspection I could see the shape of a brace through his pant leg. He probably had polio. I quickly looked away so he wouldn't see me staring at the brace. It's hard not to notice that sort of thing, though.

Around 1 o’clock it was time to meet up with everyone and take the boat to Wizard Island, a cone-shaped formation in the middle of the Lake, It's a remnant from the old volcano. Again I was assured that it would be safe to go on it. The National Park Service wouldn’t allow visitors if it weren’t. The water of the lake was a deep blue. The ranger said that it is one of the clearest bodies of water in the world, and I could believe that.

Once we got on the island, Mrs. James kept the kids close to her so they wouldn’t do anything mischievous. The rest of us walked behind. The view was impressive. It is over 6,000 feet above sea level, and we could see a large panorama of Klamath County. I made sure to take plenty of pictures so I could show Mom and Dad, and send copies to Jacob. Our ranger spoke about the geology and biology of the island and I tried to listen, but was distracted by the view.

After a few hours exploring we got back on the boat and headed back to the main camping area. This time the four of us girls were tasked with cooking dinner. Luckily from home economics we all have some experience cooking and with all of us working together, we managed to scrounge up a decent meal.

Tomorrow we head home. This weekend has been fun but I miss the privacy of my own bedroom (and bathroom).


	7. Chapter 7

Sunday, July 6th

I'm back home from Crater Lake. After breakfast this morning we washed the dishes, packed everything up, and put it into the car. The drive from Crater Lake to Portland takes several hours. We tried napping in the car but couldn’t stay asleep for long. Every hour or so we would stop the car and stretch our legs. We stopped in Eugene for lunch. By the time I got home I was so tired that I went straight to my bedroom and slept until supper, falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Tomorrow I will go get my camera film developed!

* * *

Monday, July 7th

When developing film, you never know how many pictures will turn out good. I'll have to wait a couple of weeks to see how many keepers I have. All over town I could see posters for the March of Dimes. They always feature some kid wearing braces on their legs or sitting in a wheelchair. Now that the weather is warming up, polio season is starting, just like it does every year.

* * *

Tuesday, July 8th

I know I should be focused on my summer reading, but with the camping trip there was no time to do it. Now that I am back home, I’ve picked the book back up. The weather being so nice, I took a walk to the Park Blocks and sat down on one of the many benches. There are always a ton of college students at the Blocks, and sometimes Lincoln High students come over during lunch. Since the weather is so cold and rainy most of the year, we appreciate all the time we can to sit outside. I had a notebook and pencil with me and took notes on the book. Sometimes teachers will tell you what themes to look out for to write an essay on at the beginning of the school year. The issue with studying here is that it is so public, and just about anything can cause a distraction. That’s why I stopped reading for the moment and have taken out my diary.

There are a few statues throughout the park, one of them of President Abraham Lincoln. Supposedly he was offered the governorship of Oregon back in the late 1850's but turned it down. I wonder how history would have been different if he had accepted the position? Anyway, that is how Lincoln High School got its name. Why our mascot is a cardinal, I do not understand. That just got me thinking again of our new school building. For decades it has been right around here, a light tan brick building with white accents. The student body has finally outgrown it and so next year we will have a brand-new building that should hopefully make us less cramped. Instead of being around Sixth and Park, it is going to be on 18th and Salmon, which is quite a change of scenery. All that they have around there is the Lutheran church. It is a little closer to home, which will be nice when the weather turns cooler.

* * *

Friday, July 11th

The nominees for the presidential election are in. For the Democrats we have Adlai Stevenson and for the Republicans, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Eisenhower is the better-known candidate. He was in charge of D-Day during World War Two. With his military experience, I wonder if he would be able to end this conflict in Korea soon? Well, sixteen-year-olds cannot vote, so I will just wait and see in November how the election turns out.

* * *

Sunday, July 13th

The girls and I went over to Cindy’s for the evening and played Monopoly. It’s a good game if you want something to occupy you for a few hours. Early in the game I thought I was doing well but then Lisa bought the Boardwalk, and whoever gets the dark blue properties always has an advantage. I did not get too many chances to buy up houses or hotels, and had to mortgage a few properties. I came in last. Sometimes we just get distracted from the game and talk. Margaret asked Cindy how her dad was doing. I guess that steel strike hasn't hit Portland as hard as some other cities, but it's still worrisome.

* * *

Friday, July 18th

This month for the library book club, we have been reading _A Diary of a Young Girl_ , by Anne Frank. I would so much rather read this than _The Red Badge of Courage_ , my school summer reading. When Anne’s family determined that they were no longer safe in Amsterdam, they went into hiding in a secret annex off of her father’s workplace. The entrance was disguised as a bookcase and only a couple of people knew they were there. There are a few other people hiding there aside from the Frank family. They lived in this situation for a while, and Anne did not like being cooped up in such a confined space. I know that there’s likely to be an abrupt end to the story, but we haven’t gotten that far yet.

* * *

Saturday, July 19th

Tonight was the opening ceremony for the Summer Olympics. This year it’s being held in Helsinki, Finland. We are mostly cheering for the U.S., of course, but this year Israel is competing for the first time! So is the Soviet Union. I’ve heard some people talk about how they think there might be trouble with the Soviets, but at the opening ceremony, nothing bad seemed to have happened. This year they are letting men and women compete together for equestrian events.

* * *

Wednesday, July 23rd

Oy vey! Poland has just signed a Communist-style constitution. The U.S. has tried to prevent countries from turning to Communism. China was a failure and Korea isn’t showing much promise. The Soviet Union is much closer and so they are more easily able to influence the countries that were most affected by the war. Poor Poland! They have been taken over so many times in just the last 50 years alone. I'm glad my ancestors were able to leave there when they did.

* * *

Friday, July 25th

Some good news at least. The steel strike has been settled by President Truman. Hopefully things will go back to normal now for Cindy’s family. To celebrate, I am going to go to the movies with the girls. My first movie for the summer is going to be… a Western. Not the genre I would chosen first, but it should be fun. The film is _High Noon_ and it stars Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. This movie has been getting a lot of attention. The screenplay writer, Carl Forman was implicated for being a Communist. That’s something we have been hearing about a lot recently. Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin has gotten the government to look for Communists all over the place and especially in Hollywood. There have been some like Forman who have previously been affiliated with the Communist Party and those who are found guilty are unlikely to find much work in the U.S. film industry. Some who have been accused have given names of other "Communists," too.

* * *

Later

Got back from _High Noon_. It was such a nice day! We all had a few coins along so that besides our ticket and popcorn, we could donate to the March of Dimes. They had their volunteer going up and down the aisles with their cans. Before the film started, they played a newsreel for the March of Dimes, saying that a scientist in Pittsburgh named Jonas Salk has been making strides towards a vaccine. I hope he finishes it soon!

My photos from Crater Lake have been developed. A few duds, but most of them came out clear! I showed them to Mom and Dad when I got home from the movie. There were a couple of group shots that I got doubles of so I could send them to Jacob the next time I write him a letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of the pre-written material I had. I will take a little break from posting and plan to write more during NaNoWriMo in November. Hopefully I will be able to post more then or throughout December.


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